Protector for bottles, jars, or the like.



PATEN'IED FEB. s, 1903.

J. W. STEEL. I PROTECTOR EOE BOTTLES, JARS, OR THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1902.

H0 MODEL.

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Q I llbhw m Sisal awElg/ntoz wi lmeoao UNiTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN W'ILLIAM STEEL, OF PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA.

PROTECTOR FOR BOTTLES, JARS, OR THE LIKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 719,527, dated February3, 1903.

Serial No. 103,805. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it ritcty concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN WILLIAM STEEL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Portsmouth, in the county of Norfolk and State ofVirginia,have invented a new and useful Protector for Bottles, Jars, orthe Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to protectors for hottles, jars, and similarfrangible articles; and the object thereof is to provide an extremelysimple device especially useful in the transportation of bottles and thelike, that may be quickly applied to the same and will yieldinglymaintain them in spaced relation to each other and to the walls of thebox or receptacle in which they are placed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of abottle, showing the improved protectors applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a topplan view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the protectors. Fig. 3 is atop plan view of a portion of a box or receptacle,showing a plurality ofbottles packed therein and more clearly illustrating the manner in whichthe protectors coact.

Similarnumerals ofreference designate corresponding parts in all thefigu res of the drawings.

In this preferred construction a bottle or other body-engaging elementis provided preferably in the form of a body-embracing ring 10, that isof sufficient size to slip snugly over the body, as shown in Fig. 1. Tothe outer face of this bodyembracing ring are attached a plurality ofspaced curved bufferloops 11, the terminals of which are attached to thebody-embracing ring by means of staples 12, though other devices may beemployed in lieu thereof, and even glue may be used, if desired, withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the preferredconstruction for the sake of cheapness the entire deviceis formed of a single strip of veneer, though more than one piece may beused, if desired. In the illus trated structure one end of the strip isbent to form the inner body-embracing ring 10, the remainder of thestrip surrounding the ring and being secured thereto at separatedpoints, the portions between the points of attachslipped upon the lowerportion, as shown in' Fig. 1. Instead of this arrangement, bymaking theprotectors wider only one need be employed. It will therefore be seenthat when a plurality of the bottles provided with the protectors arepacked in the receptacle, 'as

shown in Fig. 3, the buffer-loops will be in contact, while theremaining portions will be spaced apart, and thus yielding separatorsare provided, which will give to a certain extent and yet prevent thebottles coming into contact should the receptacle in which they areplaced receive any sudden jar or shock. This yielding feature is due tothe curvature of the buffer-loops, which when placed together, as shown,contact with each other at separated points, the spaces between themallowing the necessary yielding movement, which could not be obtainedwere said buffers straight and angular. It Willfurthermore be noted thatthe outer or buffer portion of each protector is in the form of aquadratic figure, and thus said protector will better coact andmoleeconomic'ally fit within a rectangular box than if the general shapeof the buffer portions corresponded to the body-engaging ring, and morebearing-points are obtained. It will be apparent that the devices may bemanufactured at extremely small cost, as they may be constructed of anymaterial, whether metal or wood, the latter however, being preferable,especially those kinds which are light and yielding.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, anddetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a protector of the class described, the combination with abody-embracing element that surrounds the body and frictionally engageswith the same to support the protector thereon, of a plurality of spacedcurved buffers secured to the outer face of thebodyembracingelementandsurroundingthesame, said element and buffersbeing constructed of yielding wood veneer.

2. In a protector of the class described, the combination with abody-embracing element arranged to surround the body and frictionallyengage the same to support the protector thereon, of a yieldingwood-veneer bufierstrip surrounding the ring and secured to the outerface of the same at separated points, the intermediate portions of thestrip being spaced from the element and curved to constitute yieldingbuffers.

3. In a protector of the class described, the

combination with a body-embracing ring arranged to surround the body andfrictionally engage the same to support the protector thereon, of acontinuous wood-veneer bufferstrip surrounding the ring and secured tothe outer face of the same at separated points, the intermediateportions of the strip being spaced from the ring and from each other,said portions being convexedly curved to constitute yielding bufiers.

4. A protector of the class described, formed of a single strip offlexible material, and comprising an inner body-embracing ring and anouter buffer-section surrounding the ring and secured theretoatseparated points, the portions between the points of attachment beingspaced from the ring and from each other and being conveXedly curved toconstitute yielding buffers.

5. In a protector of the class described, the combination with thebody-embracing ele ment shaped to conform to the article to which it isapplied, and frictionally engage the same, said element being composedof a fiat strip of material, of a plurality of spaced buffers orcushions formed of a flat wood-veneer strip surrounding and secured tothe bod y-embracing element at separated points and projecting therefromat other points.

6. A protector of the class described formed of a single strip offlexible wood Veneer and comprising an inner body-embracing ring and anouter bufier-section surrounding the ring and secured thereto atseparate points, the ends of the strip being arranged in overlappingrelation and secured together, and the portions of the buffer-sectionbetween the points of attachment being spaced from each other toconstitute buffers.

7. In a protector of the class described, the combination with abody-embracing element, of a plurality of buffers surrounding andsecured to the outer face of the body-embracing element, said elementand buffers being constructed of a single piece of material.

8. In a protector of the class described, the

combination with a body-embracing element, I

of a plurality of looped yielding buffers surrounding and secured to theouter face of the body-embracing element, said element and buffers beingconstructed of a single piece of material.

9. In a protector of the class described, the combination with abody-embracing element, of a plurality of looped yielding bufferssurrounding and secured to the outer face of the body-em bracingelement, said element and buffers being constructed of a single piece ofmaterial, the ends of which are arranged in overlapping relation, andmeans securing said ends together.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

JOI-IN WILLIAM STEEL.

Witnesses:

S. A. STEUART, EUGENE NOEL.

